If you are a business owner, then you have probably heard some of the buzz surrounding online learning, but how do you know if it is the best option for your organization?
Many businesses have a large need for more efficient training, whether it be for continued learning, new hires, or leadership development. However, it is not always abundantly clear to these organizations how they should handle this need. Should they hire a specialist to conduct traditional classroom learning or should they invest in online learning?
Each method of learning has a time and place. For some businesses, outsourcing training to a local college for an example may not be the best option.
For others, a specialist might provide the training that many learners need to grasp a complex scenario. It could even be best and most effective to adopt a blended learning style approach, where the trainer uses online learning as a way to support learners remotely.
However, there is a good reason why online learning has risen in popularity over the years with many businesses. As a flexible, cost-effective and mobile tool, it not only supports in-person training, but it helps to make effective training courses readily available to smaller businesses that might not otherwise be able to afford a private specialist to come inhouse. Online learning has a ton of benefits for businesses that are willing to invest in it – here are a few of them:
- Mitigate the learning curve for new hires
Every single new hire faces a learning curve on a new job. Whether it is learning the new processes and procedures for their work or if it is just adjusting to the culture of their new company, new hires need a little bit of time to settle in.
For many businesses, that settling in time can take a month up to a whole year. In many instances, this is because new hires simply do not receive enough orientation training and are left to figure out their duties and tasks on the go. Online training is an excellent option because it does not only provide additional support, but it also offers a standardized process that does not depend on the instructional ability of an employee.
- Stay ahead in a fast-changing industry
In almost every business field, organizations need to stay on their toes to avoid falling behind. For an example, IT companies need to stay ahead of security threats while retailers must quickly respond to online competition. Professionals in these fields often want to stay on top of the latest and greatest developments, but unfortunately, they often fall behind as the day-to-day demands of their job keep them locked down. The good news is online education offers a more flexible approach for businesses to keep employees at the cutting edge of their industry!
- Retain skilled employees through ongoing education
Back in the day, it was common for employees to stay with an organization forever in exchange for job security and pensions. However, times have changed, and most people don’t really think of the company that they currently work with as a place where they place to develop a career. If you are a business owner, then you know firsthand how expensive it can be to constantly hire new employees. Many businesses are therefore searching for ways to retain their most talented and prized employees, and ongoing education is a part of that! Show your employees that their best business opportunities are through your company with ongoing online education to help them to reach their own personal goals.